I have counted the samples for each R1b subclade in the new study of Italian Y-chromosomes by Boattini et al. and calculated the percentages for R1b for each province.
The two most interesting R1b subclades in Italy are R1b-U152, which I believe to be associated with the Italic migrations, and R1b-M269 (which also includes L23, not tested in this study), which is generally found in Greece, Anatolia and the Balkans, and can be linked to the Etruscan (in the northern half) and Greek (in the southern half) colonisations of the Italian peninsula. Both the Greeks and the Etruscans carried many other Y-DNA haplogroups alongside R1b-M269, mainly E1b1b, G2a and J2. Italic people were essentially R1b-U152, but probably also had some R1b-P312 and G2a, and perhaps even J2b and R1a.
[EDIT:] It is also possible that M269 or L23 came with the Trojans after the destruction of Troy by the Greeks circa 1200 BCE. According to the legend, some Trojans escaped to Italy and became the ancestors of the Romans. Another candidate for the Trojan haplogroup is R1b-U152 itself, as U152 is generally associated with the expansion of the Hallstatt and La Tène cultures, which suddenly started around 1200 BCE, just after the destruction of Troy. Did the Trojans found the Hallstatt culture in addition to Rome ? It's not excluded.
In my opinion, the Romans, who had mixed Italic, Etruscan and Greek origins, carried both U152 and M269 lineages. However, by looking at the European-wide distribution of both lineages, it seems that the Romans carried far more U152 than M269, since U152 can be found all over the former Roman Empire, generally at frequencies of minimum 5% in places like Iberia, Britain, the Rhineland, the Balkans, Romania, and Greece. U152 is much rarer in parts of Europe that had no Roman connection, such as Ireland, Scandinavia or Northeast Europe. It is also found in North Africa (1 to 5%). M269, on the other hand, is really typical of the territory of Magna Graecia, and only occasionally found in Western Europe (less than 1%).
North Italy
In Cuneo, south-west Piedmont, 16 out of 30 samples are R1b (53.5%). Among them we find eleven Italic U152 (36.5%), three Celtic P312 (10%), and one probably Celtic L21. M269 = 0%.
In Savona/Genova, central Liguria, 26 out of 50 samples are R1b (52%). Among them we find eleven Italic U152 (22%), ten Celtic P312 (20%), three Greco-Etruscan M269 (6%), and one probably Celtic L21.
In Como, north-west Lombardy, 22 out of 41 samples are R1b (53.5%). Among them we find nine Italic U152 (22%), four Celtic P312 (10%), four Greco-Etruscan M269 (9.5%), three Germanic U106 (incl. one L48), and two Celtic SRY2627.
In Brescia, north-east Lombardy, 25 out of 39 samples are R1b (64%). Among them we find twenty Italic U152 (51% !), two Celtic P312, one Germanic L48, and one probably Celtic L21. M269 = 0%.
In Vicenza, central-west Veneto, 12 out of 40 samples are R1b (30%). Among them we find four Italic U152 (22%), three Celtic P312, two Germanic U106 (incl. one L48), two Greco-Etruscan M269 (11%), and one Middle Eastern M343.
In Treviso, central-east Veneto, 16 out of 30 samples are R1b (53.5%). Among them we find ten Italic U152 (33.5%, incl. eight L2), three Greco-Etruscan M269 (10%), two Germanic L48, and one Celtic P312.
In Bologna, central Emilia-Romagna, 17 out of 29 samples are R1b (58.5%). Among them we find nine Italic U152 (31%), three probably Celtic L21, two Greco-Etruscan M269 (7%), two Celtic P312, and one Germanic L48.
Unsurprisingly, M269 is higher around the Po Valley, which was part of Etruria, but absent from western Piedmont, which had no Etruscan or Greek connection.
Central Italy
In La Spezia-Massa, north-west Tuscany, 17 out of 24 samples are R1b (71%). Among them we find nine Italic U152 (37.5%), four Celtic P312, two probably Celtic L21, and two Greco-Etruscan M269 (8.5%).
In Pistoia, central-north Tuscany, 8 out of 13 samples are R1b (61.5%). Among them we find five Italic U152 (38.5%), one Celtic P312, one Germanic U106, and one Greco-Etruscan M269 (7.5%).
In Grosetto-Siena, southern Tuscany, only 42 out of 86 samples are R1b (49%). Among them we find 32 Italic U152 (37%), five Greco-Etruscan M269 (6%), four Germanic U106 (incl. one L48), and one Celtic P312.
In Foligno, central-east Umbria, 14 out of 37 samples are R1b (38%). Among them we find nine Italic U152 (24.5%), two Greco-Etruscan M269 (5.5%), two Celtic P312, and one Germanic L48.
In Macerata, central-east Marche, 15 out of 40 samples are R1b (37.5%). Among them we find six Italic U152 (15%), four Celtic P312, three Greco-Etruscan M269 (7.5%), one Middle Eastern M343, and one Germanic U106.
The highest frequency of R1b-U152 in Italy, or indeed anywhere in the world, is found in Tuscany, Emilia and southern Lombardy, a region corresponding fairly well to ancient Etruria.
South Italy
In southern Italy the percentage of R1b-U152 falls dramatically.
In L'Aquila, Abruzzo, 8 out of 23 samples are R1b (35%). Among them we find three Italic U152 (13%), two Greco-Etruscan M269 (8.5%), one Celtic P312, one Germanic U106, and one Proto-Celto-Germanic P311. L'Aquila was founded by Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, and three samples could indeed be of German origin (one I2b1, one R1a, and one R1b-U106).
In Campobasso, Molise, 7 out of 29 samples are R1b (24%). Among them we find three Germanic U106 (incl. one L48), two Italic U152 (8%), one Greco-Etruscan M269 (4%), and one probably Celtic L21. The percentage of Germanic haplogroups is far higher, unsurprisingly since Campobasso was founded by the Lombards: four I1 samples (16%), three R1b-U106 (12%) and one I2b1 (4%). So a total of 32% of Germanic lineages (possibly more if we add one R1b-L21 that could also be Germanic).
In Benevento, Campania, 12 out of 36 samples are R1b (33.5%). Among them we find five Greek M269 (14%), two Italic U152 (5.5%), two Celtic P312, one probably Celtic L21, one Celtic SRY2627. Benevento was the seat of a powerful Lombard duchy, and 11% of the male lineages appear to be Germanic: two R1a1, one I1d, one R1b-L48.
In Matera, Basilicata, 2 samples out of 25 are R1b (8%). One is a Greek M269 (4%) and the other an Italic U152 (4%).
In Lecce, Apulia, 10 out of 39 samples are R1b (25.5%). Among them we find three Greek M269 (7%), three Italic U152 (7%), two Celtic P312, one probably Celtic L21, and one Germanic L48.
In Cosenza/Catanzaro/Crotone, Calabria, 11 out of 38 samples were R1b (29%). Among them we find six Italic U152 (15.5%), three Greek M269 (8%), one Germanic L48 and one Celtic P312.
In Catania, eastern Sicily, 22 out of 62 samples are R1b (35.5%). Among them were nine Greek M269 (14.5%), three Celtic P312, six Germanic U106 (including three L48), two probably Celtic L21, one Celtic SRY2627, and only one Italic U152 (1.5%).
In Ragusa, southeast Sicily, 10 out of 44 samples are R1b (24%). Among them were five Italic U152 (12%), one Greek M269 (2.5%), two Germanic U106 (including one L48), one probably Celtic L21, and one Celtic P312.
In Agrigento, southwest Sicily, 9 out of 42 samples are R1b (21.5%). Among them were five Italic U152 (12%) three Greek M269 (7%), and one Celtic P312.
In Olbia/Tempio/Nuoro, north-east Sardinia, 11 out of 40 samples are R1b (27.5%). Among them were five Italic U152 (12.5%) three Greek M269 (7.5%), one Middle Eastern M343, one Celtic P312, and one Celtic SRY2627.
In Oristano, central-west Sardinia, 7 out of 42 samples are R1b (16.5%). Among them were three Italic U152 (7%) two Greek M269 (4.5%), and two Middle Eastern M18.
What we observe is a remarkable consistency in the minimum levels of U152 across southern Italy, with frequencies generally oscillating between 7% and 12%. Only Catania has very little U152 (1.5%), but it may be due to the sampling. The tip of Calabria just across the Strait of Messina has 15.5%, so the average of the two is nevertheless 8.5%.
M269 reaches the highest frequency around major Greek colonies, like in Benevento (Naples) and Catania.
Only the Italic U152 and the Greco-Etruscan M269 are found throughout the Italian peninsula. Celtic and Germanic clades are irregularly dispersed and found generally in places with known Celtic or Germanic connections. The fact that U152 is present everywhere, even in Sardinia, is a clear sign that U152 was spread by the Romans well after the Italic migrations (since Italic people never settled in Sardinia).
It's a real shame that there are no samples for the Latium in this study. This would have been highly illuminating regarding the percentage of Italic vs Etruscan/Greek ancestry among the Romans.
The two most interesting R1b subclades in Italy are R1b-U152, which I believe to be associated with the Italic migrations, and R1b-M269 (which also includes L23, not tested in this study), which is generally found in Greece, Anatolia and the Balkans, and can be linked to the Etruscan (in the northern half) and Greek (in the southern half) colonisations of the Italian peninsula. Both the Greeks and the Etruscans carried many other Y-DNA haplogroups alongside R1b-M269, mainly E1b1b, G2a and J2. Italic people were essentially R1b-U152, but probably also had some R1b-P312 and G2a, and perhaps even J2b and R1a.
[EDIT:] It is also possible that M269 or L23 came with the Trojans after the destruction of Troy by the Greeks circa 1200 BCE. According to the legend, some Trojans escaped to Italy and became the ancestors of the Romans. Another candidate for the Trojan haplogroup is R1b-U152 itself, as U152 is generally associated with the expansion of the Hallstatt and La Tène cultures, which suddenly started around 1200 BCE, just after the destruction of Troy. Did the Trojans found the Hallstatt culture in addition to Rome ? It's not excluded.
In my opinion, the Romans, who had mixed Italic, Etruscan and Greek origins, carried both U152 and M269 lineages. However, by looking at the European-wide distribution of both lineages, it seems that the Romans carried far more U152 than M269, since U152 can be found all over the former Roman Empire, generally at frequencies of minimum 5% in places like Iberia, Britain, the Rhineland, the Balkans, Romania, and Greece. U152 is much rarer in parts of Europe that had no Roman connection, such as Ireland, Scandinavia or Northeast Europe. It is also found in North Africa (1 to 5%). M269, on the other hand, is really typical of the territory of Magna Graecia, and only occasionally found in Western Europe (less than 1%).
North Italy
In Cuneo, south-west Piedmont, 16 out of 30 samples are R1b (53.5%). Among them we find eleven Italic U152 (36.5%), three Celtic P312 (10%), and one probably Celtic L21. M269 = 0%.
In Savona/Genova, central Liguria, 26 out of 50 samples are R1b (52%). Among them we find eleven Italic U152 (22%), ten Celtic P312 (20%), three Greco-Etruscan M269 (6%), and one probably Celtic L21.
In Como, north-west Lombardy, 22 out of 41 samples are R1b (53.5%). Among them we find nine Italic U152 (22%), four Celtic P312 (10%), four Greco-Etruscan M269 (9.5%), three Germanic U106 (incl. one L48), and two Celtic SRY2627.
In Brescia, north-east Lombardy, 25 out of 39 samples are R1b (64%). Among them we find twenty Italic U152 (51% !), two Celtic P312, one Germanic L48, and one probably Celtic L21. M269 = 0%.
In Vicenza, central-west Veneto, 12 out of 40 samples are R1b (30%). Among them we find four Italic U152 (22%), three Celtic P312, two Germanic U106 (incl. one L48), two Greco-Etruscan M269 (11%), and one Middle Eastern M343.
In Treviso, central-east Veneto, 16 out of 30 samples are R1b (53.5%). Among them we find ten Italic U152 (33.5%, incl. eight L2), three Greco-Etruscan M269 (10%), two Germanic L48, and one Celtic P312.
In Bologna, central Emilia-Romagna, 17 out of 29 samples are R1b (58.5%). Among them we find nine Italic U152 (31%), three probably Celtic L21, two Greco-Etruscan M269 (7%), two Celtic P312, and one Germanic L48.
Unsurprisingly, M269 is higher around the Po Valley, which was part of Etruria, but absent from western Piedmont, which had no Etruscan or Greek connection.
Central Italy
In La Spezia-Massa, north-west Tuscany, 17 out of 24 samples are R1b (71%). Among them we find nine Italic U152 (37.5%), four Celtic P312, two probably Celtic L21, and two Greco-Etruscan M269 (8.5%).
In Pistoia, central-north Tuscany, 8 out of 13 samples are R1b (61.5%). Among them we find five Italic U152 (38.5%), one Celtic P312, one Germanic U106, and one Greco-Etruscan M269 (7.5%).
In Grosetto-Siena, southern Tuscany, only 42 out of 86 samples are R1b (49%). Among them we find 32 Italic U152 (37%), five Greco-Etruscan M269 (6%), four Germanic U106 (incl. one L48), and one Celtic P312.
In Foligno, central-east Umbria, 14 out of 37 samples are R1b (38%). Among them we find nine Italic U152 (24.5%), two Greco-Etruscan M269 (5.5%), two Celtic P312, and one Germanic L48.
In Macerata, central-east Marche, 15 out of 40 samples are R1b (37.5%). Among them we find six Italic U152 (15%), four Celtic P312, three Greco-Etruscan M269 (7.5%), one Middle Eastern M343, and one Germanic U106.
The highest frequency of R1b-U152 in Italy, or indeed anywhere in the world, is found in Tuscany, Emilia and southern Lombardy, a region corresponding fairly well to ancient Etruria.
South Italy
In southern Italy the percentage of R1b-U152 falls dramatically.
In L'Aquila, Abruzzo, 8 out of 23 samples are R1b (35%). Among them we find three Italic U152 (13%), two Greco-Etruscan M269 (8.5%), one Celtic P312, one Germanic U106, and one Proto-Celto-Germanic P311. L'Aquila was founded by Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, and three samples could indeed be of German origin (one I2b1, one R1a, and one R1b-U106).
In Campobasso, Molise, 7 out of 29 samples are R1b (24%). Among them we find three Germanic U106 (incl. one L48), two Italic U152 (8%), one Greco-Etruscan M269 (4%), and one probably Celtic L21. The percentage of Germanic haplogroups is far higher, unsurprisingly since Campobasso was founded by the Lombards: four I1 samples (16%), three R1b-U106 (12%) and one I2b1 (4%). So a total of 32% of Germanic lineages (possibly more if we add one R1b-L21 that could also be Germanic).
In Benevento, Campania, 12 out of 36 samples are R1b (33.5%). Among them we find five Greek M269 (14%), two Italic U152 (5.5%), two Celtic P312, one probably Celtic L21, one Celtic SRY2627. Benevento was the seat of a powerful Lombard duchy, and 11% of the male lineages appear to be Germanic: two R1a1, one I1d, one R1b-L48.
In Matera, Basilicata, 2 samples out of 25 are R1b (8%). One is a Greek M269 (4%) and the other an Italic U152 (4%).
In Lecce, Apulia, 10 out of 39 samples are R1b (25.5%). Among them we find three Greek M269 (7%), three Italic U152 (7%), two Celtic P312, one probably Celtic L21, and one Germanic L48.
In Cosenza/Catanzaro/Crotone, Calabria, 11 out of 38 samples were R1b (29%). Among them we find six Italic U152 (15.5%), three Greek M269 (8%), one Germanic L48 and one Celtic P312.
In Catania, eastern Sicily, 22 out of 62 samples are R1b (35.5%). Among them were nine Greek M269 (14.5%), three Celtic P312, six Germanic U106 (including three L48), two probably Celtic L21, one Celtic SRY2627, and only one Italic U152 (1.5%).
In Ragusa, southeast Sicily, 10 out of 44 samples are R1b (24%). Among them were five Italic U152 (12%), one Greek M269 (2.5%), two Germanic U106 (including one L48), one probably Celtic L21, and one Celtic P312.
In Agrigento, southwest Sicily, 9 out of 42 samples are R1b (21.5%). Among them were five Italic U152 (12%) three Greek M269 (7%), and one Celtic P312.
In Olbia/Tempio/Nuoro, north-east Sardinia, 11 out of 40 samples are R1b (27.5%). Among them were five Italic U152 (12.5%) three Greek M269 (7.5%), one Middle Eastern M343, one Celtic P312, and one Celtic SRY2627.
In Oristano, central-west Sardinia, 7 out of 42 samples are R1b (16.5%). Among them were three Italic U152 (7%) two Greek M269 (4.5%), and two Middle Eastern M18.
What we observe is a remarkable consistency in the minimum levels of U152 across southern Italy, with frequencies generally oscillating between 7% and 12%. Only Catania has very little U152 (1.5%), but it may be due to the sampling. The tip of Calabria just across the Strait of Messina has 15.5%, so the average of the two is nevertheless 8.5%.
M269 reaches the highest frequency around major Greek colonies, like in Benevento (Naples) and Catania.
Only the Italic U152 and the Greco-Etruscan M269 are found throughout the Italian peninsula. Celtic and Germanic clades are irregularly dispersed and found generally in places with known Celtic or Germanic connections. The fact that U152 is present everywhere, even in Sardinia, is a clear sign that U152 was spread by the Romans well after the Italic migrations (since Italic people never settled in Sardinia).
It's a real shame that there are no samples for the Latium in this study. This would have been highly illuminating regarding the percentage of Italic vs Etruscan/Greek ancestry among the Romans.
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